New Millionaire and Deal or No Deal Syndication

[CoastersNSich]

Today was the start of a new season for some syndicated shows, most notably Who Wants to Be A Millionaire, as well as the start of the syndicated version of Deal or No Deal.

 

Meredith Vieira is back for her 7th season hosting Millionaire, and this season comes the biggest changes since she was tapped to host the syndie version.

 

The most noticeable was the addition of a time clock to gameplay. Contestants have 15 seconds for the $100-$1000 questions, 30 sec for the $2000-$25000 questions, and 45 seconds for the last part. If the player runs out of time (failing to say 'Final Answer'), he or she is forced out with what they've earned so far.

 

There's also changes to lifelines: Gone are '50-50' and 'Switch the Answer.' There's now 'Phone-A-Friend', where the player's friends have their picture and location on screen; 'Ask the Audience'; and 'Double Dip,' last used in Super Millionaire. Here, the player gets two chances to answer the question correctly, but once used, he/she MUST answer it. And after answering the $1000 question, the 'Ask the Expert' lifeline is added. They communicate via Skype video to a famous person, like a scientist (Bill Nye was on today) academic, celebrity, or athlete.

 

They also updated the music and graphic packages. Another neat feature is that the categories of all the questions is shown throughout the game. Of course, the game clock is paused while using a lifeline.

 

 

Also starting today was the syndicated Deal or No Deal. Howie Mandel is doing this one too, but the top value is $500,000 and there are fewer cases. The models have been replaced with contestants who open the cases while in the running to play. At the start of each game, a new contestant is selected via a ball lottery from the pool holding the cases. The contestant selected takes her/his case with them (but they can choose another one if they want), and the gameplay is from there is similar to that of the NBC show.

 

 

Anyone else seen these shows, or looking forward to them?

[bgeguy]

My local CBS affiliate, WTKR, picked up Deal for the 4 and 4:30 slots, and dumped TMZ. I'll have to check out Deal tomorrow, I'm at school when Millionaire comes on.

[spaceace12]

My station dumped Millionaire last year, Today it dumped Family Fued for a show called "The Doctors".

[Homer]

Its sad game shows consist of my daytime TV show watching most of the time. I enjoy watching Merv Griffin's Crosswords a lot, funnier if you fill in the 4 letter blanks with swears.

 

Although I do need to look up the listings of when Millionaire is on. Deal or No Deal got really old really fast and I could care less if it became syndicated.

[bgeguy]

^^That reminds me, WAVY dumped Montel, obviously, and picked up The Doctors. What the hell is The Doctors?

[spaceace12]

Like Dr. Phil, four doctors talk to people having problems and fix them. Or atleast that is what I think it is from the promos I seen. I don't work during the shift the show is on.

[Luka]

Bah, really?

Now you have a time limit to questions?

That's really stupid.

 

Deal or no deal sucks anyway, boring as hell and is over-commercialized in my opinion.

 

Too bad millionaire isn't in HD though, normal quality annoys my eyes

[ebl]

Howie's a nice enough guy, so it seems, but what kind of host doesn't even shake the hand of a contestant? If Howie's that paranoid of catching something, give him a stack of alcohol swabs. He's better off exposing himself to a few germs anyway because his body can build up its immune system.

 

Unless, of course, that whole thing is just a gimmick...

 

Eric

[CoastersNSich]

In Cincinnati, Martha Stewart was switched to the digital CW station 12.2, so The Doctors is now on 12 WKRC in Martha's time slot 9am. Also, Merv Griffin's Crosswords, which was on at 10:30, was bumped to the CW for Millionaire reruns.

 

The new Millionaire shows are on the same time slot, 4:30 pm on Ch 12.

 

 

As for Howie, I bet he does his no-handshake for his personality more thatn deadly fears of germs. The germophobia is also why he shaves his head, not sure if he's really losing hair or not. I'm also wondering why the NBC version of DOND is not in HD. Honestly, I don't think I've ever seen syndicated programs in HD, generally only the broadcast networks do that.